Back pain, especially lower back pain is a very common complaint, and in fact, one of the reasons that doctors see patients. Lower back pain can make it very difficult to perform your daily tasks, which can lead to frustration and even time out from your work. This challenge can impact every facet of your life.

Sciatica is type of pain that spreads to the legs and is very common among people. Another common type is associated with the disc of the spine. Back pain comes in many different forms: lower back pain, upper back pain and middle back pain.

Practically everyone develops “wear and tear” changes in their back while they grow older, though for the majority of people this will cause minor pain or loss of function.

Based on the particular causes of lower back soreness, back surgery may or may not be needed. Back pain is frequently triggered simply by a muscle strain in the back.

There are ways in which you can ease back pain easily.

1. When your back hurts, you should lie flat on your back for several, at least 30-minutes, as many times this is all it takes in order to help ease the pain. In addition, laying on your back with your knees bent helps to take the load and pressure off your lower back.

2. Alternate between heat and cold in order to reduce any swelling that may be present. This means using a heating pad for 15 minutes, followed by icing the area for 15 minutes. You should repeat this several times throughout the day. This helps the back to not only feel better but also helps reduce inflammation.

3. Avoid any activities that make cause the pain to intensify. This includes lifting anything that is heavy or bending straight over without the use of your knees. Many times as soon as a person begins to feel better, they immediately engage in the activity that caused them the initial injury in the first place. You have to be very careful in the weight room.

After resting and alternating ice and heat, you should begin to feel better within just a few days. You can also add ibuprofen or acetaminophen in order to help with the pain, but only take the recommended amount.

In the event you do not feel any relief within a week, you need to head to your doctor or chiropractor. Many times, if it is a pulled muscle, getting a professional massage can loosen the muscle and help bring healing faster to the injured area.

Medical care in Dubai and the UAE varies, as anywhere, from poor to excellent. The UAE has about 35-40 Government hospitals and a similar number of private hospitals although with developments like Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), there is rapid expansion in the number of private institutes ready to fix your bones and take your blood. Additionally, there are 150 or more Primary Healthcare Centers in the UAE.

-

Government hospitals in UAE often get a bad rap but in terms of medical attention, this is perhaps a bit harsh, notwithstanding the press reports of less than satisfactory medical attention. You will probably find the biggest difference between government and private hospitals is "Customer Service" for want of a better term. Dormitory style rooms rather than private hotel rooms are the norm, and staff shortages mean nurses especially, are overworked and underpaid. But you will usually get the medical attention you need, at least in Dubai and Abu Dhabi anyway. Sometimes, for major medical procedures, a private hospital will ship you off to a government hospital anyway.

-

In the other emirates medical treatment might be more questionable, and it is common for residents in those emirates to go to Abu Dhabi or Dubai for medical procedures, especially major ones. Communication in English might also be difficult in more remote areas, depending on the nationalities of the doctors, nurses, technicians, and other staff. Communication in Arabic might be difficult, also dependent on the nationality of staff you're talking to - many hospitals employ doctors and nurses who might not speak any Arabic, but usually non-Arab nationalities employed all speak English, as do the majority of Arab nationalities employed, especially in Abu Dhabi and Dubai private hospitals.